SPARTA — Former U.S. Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa, a longtime friend and colleague of Gov. Chris Christie, was the keynote speaker Wednesday night at the 200 Club of Sussex County’s annual membership meeting.

Chiesa, 48, met Christie in law school and that connection has shaped his career, from working under Christie in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and becoming his chief counsel as governor, to being named state attorney general in 2012.

Chiesa is best-known for his improbable, 129-day stint in 2013 as New Jersey’s first Republican senator in 34 years, which also stemmed from his Christie ties.

He recounted being at home, a few days after Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s death, and getting a late-night phone call from the governor.

“He said, ‘I’m pulling into your driveway,’ ” Chiesa said.

Christie, as recounted by Chiesa, made his pitch directly to his Chiesa’s wife, knowing that she would have the final say on her husband relocating to Washington.

She didn’t object.

Chiesa did not seek the Republican nomination in the Oct. 16 special election, which went to former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Chiesa left office Oct. 31 upon the swearing-in of new Sen. Cory Booker, the former Democratic mayor of Newark.

Being a senator, to most, would be a professional high point, yet Chiesa said he derived more satisfaction from his preceding 18-month stint as state attorney

general.

He called it, “the job I loved the most.”

Chiesa was introduced by state Sen. Steve Oroho,

R-24th Dist., who praised his responsiveness.

The unanimous confirmation of his nomination as attorney general, Oroho said, “speaks volumes to the level of respect that Senator Chiesa has.”

Chiesa was speaking on the eve of the release of a report, commissioned by Christie’s office, clearing Christie of involvement in the George Washington Bridge lane closures. He did not mention that or other controversies threatening to derail Christie’s presidential chances in 2016.

After leaving the Senate, he rejoined the politically connected law firm of Wolff & Samson. Founding member David Samson, a former New Jersey attorney general, chairs the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and is a key player in the George Washington Bridge inquiries.

Perhaps prepping for a return to politics, Chiesa was ready with a self-deprecating line playing off his last two high-profile, yet short, posts in government.

“As you can tell, I can’t keep a job,” he said.

The 200 Club of Sussex County is a nonprofit volunteer organization providing financial assistance to the families of members of the New Jersey State Police, county and municipal police, fire or emergency medical services, serving the people of Sussex County, who were killed in the line of duty.

A total of 142 people attended Wednesday’s dinner, which was postponed from December due to a scheduling conflict.

It raised about $17,000, boosted by 13 corporate sponsors, club President Tony Torre said.

Torre told the Lake Mohawk Country Club crowd, “We rely on memberships,” adding, “That’s our solitary way of raising funds.”

Previous speakers have included former state Superior Court Judge Andrew Napolitano, now better known as the senior judicial analyst for Fox News, as well as Christie.